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He has a disciplinary record almost as bad as his current defensive partner, the notoriously ill-tempered Portuguese Pepe.

Arguably his best days are behind him as at the age of 29 he will find it more and more increasingly difficult to recapture the pace he once displayed as a buccaneering right full back with Sevilla.

And his present employers have slapped an overinflated buy-out clause of just the £128million in an attempt to ward off all potential suitors.

Yet Manchester United’s very public pursuit of Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos appears to be worth all the hassle.

The possible recruitment of the Spanish star would be not only be a bold and highly productive move it would also send a clear signal to the rest of the footballing world that the Old Trafford outfit are deadly serious in their bid to get back to the top.

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Make no mistake the sheen has most definitely been, slowly but surely, rubbed away from the once proud reputation of the three time winners of the European Cup.

Luis van Gaal would love to sign the Spanish international (Picture: Getty Images)

But capturing the signature though of a World Cup winner, a two time European Championship gold medallist, Champions League winner and three times recipient of a La Liga title would signify that the Red Devils are back in business.

Ramos is exactly the sort of player United so badly require and if reports are to believed he is itching for the move which would provide him with a new challenge after years of gorging on trophy after trophy at the Bernabeu.

Throw in the fact that despite five years of blood, sweat and tears in that famous white shirt Ramos himself is not a ‘Madrista’, his debut club Sevilla are the team closest to his heart so there is no emotional attachment to Real which say a Hierro or Raul grew up with.

And if a deal can be reached in which David de Gea moves back to his native city, something the United keeper is desperate to do, then Real would be more relaxed about letting their captain depart.

After failing in their attempts in recent years to land Ronaldinho, Benzema and Bale securing the services of Ramos would present a massive boost to the hopes of a support tired of seeing the games leading lights turn their backs on a career in the north west of England for the lure of the bright lights of London or the attractions of Barcelona or Madrid.